Modern studies consider the memorial activity in the context of formation and development of civil society as an important factor of shaping public memory and building national, regional and local identity. The analyzes educational and commemorative practices of the departments of the All-Russian Society of Protection of Historical and Cultural Heritage, the All-Union Geographical Society and the Society “Knowledge” in Altai in 1965-1991. The study bases on application of cross-disciplinary approaches of the intellectual and modern local history. The authors conclude that activities of public associations for identification, studying, registration and popularization of historical landscape objects promoted ideas about the importance of preserving the historical and architectural space of region for collective memory and identity of regional community. Ruling elites supported mainly those social initiatives for protection of monuments which were aimed to promote the values and ideals of Soviet socialism. As a result the indifferent attitude of party and state institutions to protection of archaeological objects and heritage of the pre-revolutionary era, the lack of effective tools of influence on economic organizations and administrative structures by public organizations and the formalism in the work of the Society of Protection of Heritage did not allow to develop practical measures to preserve the archaeological sites and to stop the destruction of the original historical and architectural environment of cities and villages of the region.